Bhubaneswar: The ABVP took out a rally here on Tuesday to press for holding of annual campus elections across Odisha and to protest against the alleged ‘anti-youth’ policies of the BJD government. ABVP members, led by its national general secretary Yagywalkya Shukla, staged a demonstration at Mahatma Gandhi Marg here where the speakers criticised the government for not holding student elections for the past six years.

They also protested against large-scale unemployment, safety concerns of women, illegal trafficking of children and alleged irregularities in educational institutions in the state.

“The Naveen Patnaik government in the state has consistently blocked student union elections in the educational institutions for six consecutive years, murdering student leadership. Party politics in educational institutions is at its peak.

Students of state-supported student organisation Biju Chhatra Janata Dal is causing chaos on campuses and instilling fear among the students,” ABVP state secretary Arijit Patnaik said.

Recruitment of qualified faculty in vocational and technical education institutions along with focus on post-education employment opportunities for students is crucial to address the “massive” unemployment in the state, he said.

“Blocking student union elections in educational institutions is like murdering student leadership. It reflects the anti-student stance of the BJD government,” said Shukla.

The state of education in Odisha is extremely fragile and the current government is inactive on addressing the critical issues. “ABVP demands appropriate action from the state government,” he said.

The government’s inaction regarding issues like illegal trafficking, scholarships for scheduled castes and tribal students and the deteriorating condition of women’s safety is impacting negatively the state’s future, he added.